The average healing period of a tattoo is around 2 to 3 weeks. Allround physical health and cleanliness are key for a good healings proces. During this period the tattoo can start to itch and it is of the utmost that you don't pick or scratch on your tattoo, because with this you will damage the skin and it will leave white spots.

Personal hygiene is very important during the healing period. Directly after the tattoo the artist will cover it with transparant film. You will keep the tattoo covered for a maximum of 2 hours. After you discard the film you can wash your tattoo with lukewarm water and a mild onparfumed soap. We recommend Unicorn soap Nr. 2 Balance. After washing your tattoo, you must dab the tattoo dry with a clean piece of kitchen paper and not wipe over the tattoo!! Then you can apply a thin layer of Bepanthen Baby cream. Do this every time you clean your tattoo and wash it two times a day.

After the first week you start with washing it once a day and you can start applying the ointment around 5 times a day. The point of it is that you keep the skin moist and that you don't let it dry out, so be on time. For ointment you must only use the Bepanthen cream and no other ointments like Vaseline or Purol. As soon as the tattoo is completely healed you can stop with the ointment.

Do not use any wound disinfection products one your tattoo like Sterilon or Betadine.

Do not wear any bandages over your tattoo. It is important that your tattoo gets enough oxygen so it will help with the healing period. Be aware that you don't put on any tight, woollen, dirty or suffocating clothes. Also beware of dust and animal hairs.

During the healing period you must avoid all contact with swimming water, Chlorine water, bubble baths en natural swimming waters. Also don't make any use of sauna’s or steam baths.

Do not expose your tattoo to direct sunlight or make use of tanning beds, even with suntan lotion. After the tattoo is probably healed you still need apply suntan lotion and it is very important that you do so. Use a lotion with a factor of at least 40 for the best protection.

In the case of extreme redness, swelling, bleeding, colorchange or pain you need to contact your general practitioner immediately.

If you stick to our aftercare advice the tattoo will heal in the fastest way and with the best results. Take care of your self and treat the tattoo in a hygienic en careful way. If you have any questions at all feel free to contact us or come by the shop.
We are there for you.

Age limits
In children under the age of 12 it is never allowed to put a tattoo. For young people between the ages of 12 and 16, only a tattoo may be used if the legal representative is present.
There are four exceptions to this. It is forbidden for young people under 16 to apply a tattoo on their head, neck, wrists and hands. If you are not yet 16, getting a tattoo is strongly discouraged. As you grow, the tattoo may become distorted

Tattoos in physical conditions
Many tattoo artists let customers sign a consent form in advance that focuses on the health of the. Fill in the form truthfully. Incomplete information can lead to dangerous situations and complications.
Do not let a tattoo:
in places where you have undergone plastic surgery or radiation in the past year;
on a scar that is less than a year old;
in a place that has been tattooed less than six weeks ago;
in a place where less than three months ago a tattoo was lasered away;
on irritated skin such as bumps, dark moles or swellings;
if you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs;
if you have allergies to tattoo materials or ink.
In addition, it is not recommended to have a tattoo if one of the following situations applies to you:
diabetes
problems with blood clotting
chronic skin disease
a reduced defense
cardiovascular abnormalities
pregnancy or breastfeeding
Is one of these situations applicable to you but do you want to have a tattoo? Then we strongly advise you to discuss your plans for a tattoo with your doctor first. Your doctor has the best view of the stability of your physical condition (with or without the use of medication). This allows him or her to best assess the risks when you have a tattoo. In addition, read the advice below, which contains some extra information about the risks of a tattoo in your situation.

Advice for people with diabetes
Make sure your hemoglobin A1c level and the general blood glucose level of your blood are under control before you get tattooed. This reduces the chance that you will incur a wound infection or inflammation during and after tattooing. To be sure of the right level, it is best to prick yourself just before tattooing.
In general: discuss your plans for tattooing with your doctor first.Advice for people with a blood clotting disorder and people who use anticoagulants
If you have a blood clotting disorder or use anticoagulants, your skin may bleed faster during tattooing and bleed longer than other people. To minimize the risk of major bleeding, large tattoos are not recommended. Do you want a big tattoo, let it preferably in multiple times.
In general: discuss your plans for tattooing with your doctor first. Your doctor can judge the best about the status of your blood values.

Advice for people with chronic skin disease
In the case of a chronic skin disease (such as psoriasis or sarcoidosis in the skin), there is a chance that you also develop your skin complaints in the place that you have had tattooing. This is called the Koebner phenomenon. To reduce the chance of this, it is not recommended to have a tattoo at times when your skin disease is very active. And preferably do not put a tattoo on places where your skin disease often occurs.
If you have ever had melanoma (skin cancer), or this occurs in your family, it is not recommended to have a tattoo. On the tattooed skin, new melanomas are more difficult to detect at an early stage.
In general: discuss your plans for tattooing with your doctor first.Advice for people with a defense disorder or medicines that can weaken the immune system
Even when working safely and hygienically, you run the risk of infection when setting a tattoo. If you have a defense disorder (this includes leukemia) or medication that can weaken the immune system, this risk is increased. Always discuss your plans for tattooing with your doctor first.Advice for people with cardiovascular disease
If you have cardiovascular disease, there is a risk of developing endocarditis (an infection on the inner wall of the heart) due to tattooing. Because of this risk, it is not recommended to have a tattoo if you do not have your heart condition under optimal control.
In general, you should always discuss your plans for tattooing with your doctor first.Advice for pregnant women and lactating women
Do not take a tattoo if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Not all risks related to tattooing for pregnant women are known. If you also get an infection as a result of the tattoo, you may not use certain medicines to combat the infection, because of the risk for your (unborn) child.

Tattoo dyes must not be bacteriologically contaminated. Bacteria can cause skin infections. The inks must also contain no harmful, carcinogenic substances such as AZO dyes, PAHs or heavy metals. The responsibility for safe inks lies with the tattoo artist, but especially with his supplier. It is difficult for tattoo artists to judge whether the ink is safe. Tattooers can, however, ask their supplier whether the inks supplied meet the legal requirements (Tattoos Decree on tattoo dyes). It is also difficult for consumers to assess this. You can in any case ask the tattoo artist whether he uses safe inks and what that shows.
Although the chance of safe inks at licensed studios is probably greater, insecure inks also occur here. Studies by the NVWA show that harmful substances are present in 52% of the black inks and that harmful substances can be released from 30-35% of the colored inks. This increases the chance of cancer. The size of the tattoo, the concentration of the harmful substances and the time that the body is exposed to it all play a role in the possible development of cancer. But other factors also play a role, such as lifestyle and genetic predisposition. Whether this risk by these hazardous substances in the inks indeed leads to more cancer cases among the owners of tattoos is currently unknown.